Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) overview: stylus and substance

The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G will get some important upgrades on this yr’s mannequin, taking it firmly into midrange territory. If you’re in search of a well-performing stylus cellphone however the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra appears like overkill, then the G Stylus 5G is what you need.

Don’t confuse the Moto G Stylus 5G (2022 version) with final yr’s Moto G Stylus 5G or this yr’s non-5G Moto G Stylus (2022). Somehow, these are all distinctly totally different telephones. While the earlier Moto G Stylus 5G wasn’t a lot of a step up spec-wise from final yr’s 4G-only G Stylus, it’s a unique story this yr. This time round, the G Stylus 5G contains an upgraded Qualcomm chipset, a stabilized major digital camera, and extra RAM. That doesn’t sound like a lot, however these enhancements assist to essentially set the G Stylus 5G aside from the $300-and-under finances class.

Naturally, these upgrades include the next worth: $499 for the unlocked model with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, a steep enhance from final yr’s $399. But I feel that further $100 makes the Stylus G 5G right into a worthwhile midrange cellphone somewhat than a forgettable gadget on the excessive finish of the finances vary. It’s extra of a Galaxy Note Light somewhat than a cheap cellphone that occurs to have a stylus tucked inside.

The G Stylus 5G options an enormous 6.8-inch display screen with good-enough 1080p decision and a quick 120Hz refresh price. Scrolling and animations look clean in consequence, and the cellphone does use that prime 120Hz price pretty typically in auto mode, which is simpler on battery life than leaving 120Hz enabled always.

This display screen is an LCD, so blacks usually are not as darkish, and distinction isn’t as wealthy as on an OLED. Video playback high quality is ok however not as good of an expertise as you’ll get with a dearer gadget (and even another finances and midrange fashions that now have OLED screens). What bothered me extra was that the display screen is difficult to see outside in brilliant daylight — in concept, LCD know-how has a bonus over OLED in brilliant situations. This wasn’t the case with the G Stylus 5G, as I squinted on the display screen in brilliant daylight. Indoors, I normally had display screen brightness cranked as much as 80 or 90 p.c, which is all to say that this display screen isn’t the very brightest.

That huge display screen makes the cellphone look somewhat ridiculous within the aspect pocket of a pair of yoga pants, nevertheless it’s simply the correct measurement for all the gadget’s stylus-centric options. Pop the stylus out of its built-in silo, and also you’ll see a shortcut menu pop up with icons main you to Motorola’s note-taking app, GIF-maker, and coloring e-book app, amongst others. A stylus isn’t essentially important for any of those, however the added accuracy helps.

The be aware app is a bit less complicated than what you’ll discover on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Rather than providing you with entry to all the instruments abruptly, particular person notes have separate tabs for doodling, textual content entry, photos, and voice memos. It’s extra restricted, nevertheless it’s additionally much less overwhelming. You can select from just a few totally different background choices on your digital web page, like a pastel blue with grid traces or a comfortable grey with dots. They’re inviting the best way a brand new, clean journal is.

Outside of the notes app, the stylus performs extra of a supporting position. You can use it to crop photos in a freeform fashion, add handwriting to a screengrab, or fill in some Disney character-esque coloring e-book templates. It’s a capacitive stylus, so there’s no strain sensitivity, and it lacks the related options of Samsung’s S Pen, like gesture-based Air Actions to regulate sure features with out touching the display screen. Still, there’s somewhat little bit of weight to it, and it feels exact and responsive sufficient for note-taking and sketches.

Overall cellphone efficiency is superb. The Snapdragon 695 is a reduce above the 400-series chipset utilized by final yr’s mannequin, and the unlocked model of the cellphone features a very wholesome 8GB of RAM. There are methods wherein I can undoubtedly see all of that energy at work: apps keep open for a comparatively very long time within the background, and I can run a really graphics-heavy recreation like Genshin Impact pretty easily. Performance isn’t flawless; some apps, just like the digital camera app, are somewhat sluggish to open on preliminary startup. But total, the G Stylus 5G gives good efficiency that usually exceeded my expectations of a $500 Android cellphone.

Battery stamina is wholesome, too. Some of Motorola’s finances telephones will actually run for days on a single cost in case you’re a lightweight or average consumer — the G Stylus 5G isn’t fairly on that degree, however it can get most customers safely by way of a full day of use. Even on a day of heavy use, I used to be nonetheless at 20 p.c by bedtime. Battery life isn’t distinctive, nevertheless it shouldn’t be one thing that house owners of the gadget might want to fear about.

A fast phrase on 5G: the unlocked model of the cellphone can use Verizon and T-Mobile’s sub-6GHz 5G networks, and Motorola spokesperson Stephanie Stiltz says that different carriers shall be out there “in the coming months.” Presumably, which means AT&T. The G Stylus 5G helps the n77 C-band frequency that Verizon and AT&T are utilizing to improve their long-range 5G networks, so it ought to have the ability to reap the benefits of it when extra of that spectrum comes on-line over the subsequent couple of years.

The Moto G Stylus 5G ships with Android 12 put in, because it ought to as a result of Android 13 is coming simply across the nook. Motorola’s implementation of Android stays one in every of my favorites, together with the “peek” notifications on the lock display screen which can be helpful with out being disruptive. The system will immediate you to choose right into a urged app characteristic on the house display screen powered by an organization known as Branch. In my testing, its solutions aren’t all that good, and it simply takes up house, nevertheless it’s simple sufficient to only not choose in to that exact characteristic.

Motorola’s Stiltz says that the G Stylus 5G will get one OS platform improve and three years of safety updates. That’s an enchancment over the corporate’s earlier coverage of supporting telephones for 2 years, although inferior to Samsung’s five-year coverage for a few of its finances telephones, just like the Galaxy A53 5G. Still, it’s progress, and in case you prefer to commerce in your previous gadget for a brand new one each few years, then will probably be sufficient.

As far as digital camera high quality goes, the Moto G Stylus 5G feels prefer it doesn’t actually reside as much as its potential. At instances, picture high quality is sweet, and the primary digital camera’s optical stabilization does appear to assist preserve extra element in pictures taken in dim lighting. But Motorola hasn’t dialed in its picture processing, and pictures typically look overly brilliant with neon greens and reds.

Grid View

The G Stylus 5G’s rear digital camera system consists of a 50-megapixel f/1.9 normal large, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor that helps out with portrait mode pictures. There’s additionally a 16-megapixel f/2.2 selfie digital camera with a really aggressive face-smoothing magnificence filter that may be disengaged, fortunately.

Portrait mode pictures are usually good, although typically susceptible to errors like blurring over a topic’s ear. Macro pictures are courtesy of the ultrawide lens, which is definitely a lot nicer than utilizing a low-res devoted macro digital camera since you really get autofocus. Photos in dim and low mild typically look overly smoothed and different instances look darkish and contrasty. It’s simply laborious to know what you’re going to get. Video recording tops out at 1080/30p, and for $500, this cellphone actually ought to shoot 4K. As it stands, video clips are likely to look over-brightened, although stabilization is sweet.

If you desire a cellphone with a stylus that retains up with demanding duties and digital camera high quality isn’t a precedence, then the G Stylus 5G is a compelling choice. Not everybody wants the ability of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the Moto G Stylus 5G stands up as a a lot cheaper different with wholesome efficiency. The LTE-only Moto G Stylus is a good decrease value choice at $279, which is an efficient choice in case your finances is tight. But in case you can spare the additional $200-plus, the 5G mannequin is a worthwhile improve for its quicker efficiency.

It’s not a cellphone I’d advocate as an all-around choose in its worth vary, although. If you’re not a stylus devotee, then the Galaxy A53 5G is altogether a greater package deal. Its 120Hz OLED display screen is nicer, digital camera high quality is best and extra constant, and it’s scheduled to get 5 years of safety updates. You don’t get as a lot storage or RAM, nevertheless it’s additionally $50 cheaper.

With LG out of the cell phone market, we’re down to only two producers making stylus telephones. The S22 Ultra sits a lot, a lot increased and is value its excessive worth in case you’re in search of a stylus and the very best of the very best. The G Stylus 5G appears like center floor for stylus followers, so long as you’re not too choosy about picture high quality.